Sad to see to say the least, but this is across all disciplines as mentioned -- and at all levels of riding. I believe that the time and money factor play a big role in this (as much as anything else), if people picked their trainers and people who rode their horses in a manner of developing a horse in a constructive way no matter the time that that allocates to have the horse in the show ring, this would start to change. But there are many many people out there who pick their trainers via how quick they can get their horse to the show pen to be making some money off of that horse. Time = money to both owner and trainer at this point, the owner wants to be making money with their horse in the least amount of time and will tell the trainer they will take their money/horse else where to get this result.

It isn't just the trainers who are to blame, but the industry in general. If we stopped allowing practices like this to win, the trainer would have to change their tactics and it would trickle down to the owner because the time factor would no longer = money to the owner nor the trainer.

I literally could not watch the full thing.

After over 54 years of being horse crazy I can tell you that the standard of horsemanship has sunk really low.  Personally, in my humble opinion, shows have turned out as the most efficient way to ruin a breed.  Halter and riding show riding have absolutely nothing to do with making a horse reliable on road, trail, or cross country.  I do not know about driving horse show classes, I do not think it would be safe to drive a horse with its head so far behind vertical. 

I just finished a book on 500 years of cowboy culture.  I doubt that any working cowboy anywhere in the world ever rode their horses like this while working cattle.

Right now if someone tried to sell me a successful show horse I would save my money and wait until I could find a horse that had not been ruined for sane riding.  Are these show horses even worth retraining?

Though I think you have a lot of valid points, Jackie, I think it's also important not to judge a book by its cover so to speak. Not all show horses have been used and abused before the age of 5, but it has become a very common practice. A lot of these horses can be wonderful animals if someone took the time to retrain them and work on building their confidence back up, as well as helping them move in a "true" gait.

I think we're reversed the point of showing in a sense. It used to be: Who has the best horse of the bunch by nature, and which trainer did the best job "breaking" the horse to show off its natural talents? -- Now it's: Which horse fits the accepted standard best no matter natural ability or training techniques? It's the same general idea, but natural ability has been thrown out and now animals are expected to perform at or above the level of every other horse or else they are deemed worthless. This is somewhat ideal: we want animals that excel so we can continue to breed the best of the best, but we have lost sight of ethics, I think.

Blah, mindless rambling. :) $0.02 more for ya.

Horse shows are supposed to be a show case for superior horses and riders.

Historically superior riders have NOT been in the practice of riding horses with the horse's face behind the vertical.  (Yes, I know, there are some exceptions, but then I don't consider these riders superior, just my personal opinion.)

If modern judges disqualified EVERY horse whose face was behind vertical for more than a half a second (I'm being generous here) would there be any ridden horses left in the ring?  Would any trainer whose whole technique revolves around teaching a horse to move with its face behind vertical survive?  Do they even know how to train differently?

I am not expecting this to happen.  There is just too much money riding on continuing the present system.

Good on Epona for posting this and not caving to the threats from lawyers.
Don't see the point in having someone sitting in a chair ignoreing this type of thing, and then saying it's in the rules???
I'd like to apply for that chair job, those blokes would know what hit em!

Cease and desist on WHAT basis?????  They are photography in an open venue at the WEC for reining.

I have in my possesion the evidence that USEF does not give damn about enforcing the rules or abiding by their Mission Statement regarding health and welfare of the horse.  USEF abides by the rules and regulations written by FEI who does not give a damn about enforcing the rules or abiding by their Mission Statement.

Competitors are not going to file complaints against riders, stewards, TD's or judges because there will be reprisal.

So what are we to do.  That video is abuse of the horse under the legal definition set forth here in the United States.......the problem is everybody cries wolf but will not join forces to stop the violations.

FEI clearly stipulates that nothing can be done to the horse that cause pain and discomfort..............and USEF abides by this.

Well let me treat these riders, stewards, TD's and judges in a manner like the horse are being treated.

If anyone thinks the actions of that rider were not causing pain and discomfort to the horse those individuals should never be allowed to own or ride a horse.

According to the state attorney general's office this ruling is applicable throughout the U.S.

2004 Washington State Supreme Court held in 118 Wn. App. 730, State v. Zawistowski, that Webster's Third New International Dictionary 1621 (1969) definition of "pain" as "a state of physical or mental lack of well-being or physical or mental uneasiness that ranges from mild discomfort or dull distress to acute often unbearable agony."

So who is going to join the effort to stop the rule violations and Mission Statement violations?  I will not stand by and be silent and shall continue with the correct methodology to force USEF and FEI to comply with their rules, regulations and Mission Statements.

Talk is just talk, actions speak louder than words.................

Mr. Pannell, I applaud your efforts.  Here in the States there are only a handful of individual officials whom have a backbone and will stand up for the horses.

To be an insider here, one must meld into the system that is presently at work.   To many folks just cannot abide that situation.

Geoffrey Pannell wrote:

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Banging on the door outside and screaming will not change this type of thing from happening. It can be changed , but from the inside. Join your state and national body and sit the exams and become a steward. Then you can be the guy sitting in the chair in the warmup, that's the only way to effect change, from the inside.
I'm an Equestrian Australia official and I can tell you if i see this sort of thing happening at a venue I'm attending, I have something to say about it!!

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So, as a judge, what happens when we give VERY low scores?   Unless we are assigned to shows, most peeps want high scores, not to ride better.  Interesting that judges like me usually have the highest AND lowest scores.  Because we want to highlight good training and ding poor TRAINING (training, not materiale class horse's movement).

A case in point:  judged a woman at third level who could not sit, held onto the curb, half passes were BAD leg yields, the only thing acceptable were the single changes (which the horse knew).  She got a 38% the second class (3/3) and a 42 in the first one (3/2).  And she complained.  The td asked her to read the comments, and she said well that IS what I did, but I don't get those low a scores (how is anything else fair to people who DO ride better/well).  I looked at her scores for the year and they were from 45 to 52.  The fact is what she was doing WAS cruel (even though her 'teacher' (who only rode first) told her what a good job she did).  I did find out there doesn't have to be blood to DQ someone for abuse in the USEF shows.

Another case in point: I was judging with another judge a lady who rode side saddle 2/1.  It was a TRAINwreck of crooked/on the forehand/wrong/poorly seated rider.  The other judge gave it 51 and I have it 42.  One is saying it is ok, the other is saying insufficent.  THAT is a difference. And the other judge's justification was we need to 'encourage her'.  Encourage her to do what?  After talking to the rider afterword, she had merely started at tr 1 and kept going until someone said STOP.  Well, I did.  She went and rode with a friend in her area (I ride fei sidesaddle) who also did ss, and got better seated and learned.  Without that guideance, she would have slide along the same way.

Having such a divergence in the way judges score, while better than wholesale condoning bad riding, just confuses the issue. There should be standards, within which the judges judge and award scores. It shouldn't just start with a few "rogue" judges marking down bad or abusive riding. Can't they agree, and follow a standard of not allowing heads held behind the verticle, or overuse of aids, spurs etc? There will always be some subjectivity I suppose, but otherwise what is the point of judging? Or is it just strictly advertising for trainers and breeders and people are awarded for their reputation? I'd like to see part of the score be for the horse's spirit. No idea exactly how you score that. But the poor horse in this video has a bad case of broken spirit, and no wonder. After watching that video I just wanted to grab that bit and jam it down a certain cowboy's throat!

FEI Statement re: the video:

"REINING WEEK 21 - 2011 - FEI WORLD REINING FINAL, BÖKERBERGS GARD, SWEDEN
26 May 2011

The FEI is constantly reviewing and amending the rules for all its disciplines to ensure that horse welfare is maintained.
Three working groups were set up in January of this year to conduct a full review of the discipline of Reining which will address all aspects of the sport, including rules and veterinary issues.

The working groups have already reviewed the Reining rules and regulations, the competition format and educational standards for all FEI officials within the discipline and will be giving their recommendations to the Reining Committee shortly. Also included in the review process are new Stewards’ guidelines and details of permitted training practices.

Representatives from FEI HQ spoke to the Chief Steward in Bökebergs Gård and were assured that all practice sessions were fully monitored, that each training session was timed and that all practices were within the rules that are currently in place. However, a preliminary report from the Chief Steward has been received by the FEI which records that a number of verbal warnings were issued to riders about their training methods during the practice session.

As part of the review process that was initiated in January, footage from the FEI World Reining Final and the resulting debate will be included in the file that will be submitted to the Reining Committee for inclusion in the review process.

The new FEI Reining rules and regulations will be voted on at the 2011 General Assembly in November for implementation on 1 January 2012.

As the international governing body for equestrian sport, the FEI condemns all training methods and practices that are contrary to horse welfare."

Have the standards not steadily been declining over the years. How often do we see a true piaffe in the competitive arena - how often do we see demoralized horses such as the one the@$$hat is riding in the arena.....or horses in the grand-prix jumper rounds that are just charging around ...with bits that look like implements worthy of the spanish inquisition...with wild eyes... or western pleasure horses going round being banged in the mouth..their noses on the ground like tracking dogs...arabs going round with flinging front legs like saddle-breds and strung out behind on and on it goes

I also recently was told that riders no longer need to sit the trot in level one tests???????? If this is true....all I have to say is WHY??????
Is this further example of the deterioration of riding sport...

personally one of the bonus's of dressage competition is that you are able to see what the judges thought - you can read their comments - take them digest them...and then work on your weaknesses - it is having other qualified eyes on you...it's not about the ribbons...it's about the comments and the score - anyone can buy a ribbon at the dollar store...(imo)

Jackie Cochran wrote:

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......  Since when did it become the judge's main job to feed rider's and trainer's egos?

I assure you that the few times I showed over 30 years ago that none of the judges were concerned with my tender ego!  T....If I had gone into any class back then riding with my horse behind vertical I probably would have been excused and told not to show again (because I would never win) until I learned how to ride properly.  My, how times have changed!  

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That's what I grew up with as well.  The HORSE was the MOST important thing!  And ACROSS THE BOARD (western/h/j/dressage/etc) are declining.

There are SO many excuses, and where are the evaluation processes anchored.  I watched a JYR 'graduate' (who has questionable TRAINING skills and a very hollow back) 'teach'.  But how can one teach another how to train when they have only ridden an already schooled horse?   And people ride with her because it is 'that's soooo good', but NO substance.  

Personally I WANT my students to become BETTER TRAINERS!  But its a two way street as well.

People need to remember the def - of 'JUDGE' -- the Judge is presumably a person who has participated, studied and dedicated themselves to the particular sport/discipline....

when I did announcing at hack shows the key words I think are you are 'NOW BEING JUDGED' 'at a walk...(when the class is in the arena) - you are being evaluated....it is a test...an exam...

sorry to come back to dressage - but that is my discipine - 'dressage TEST' - you are being looked and and graded against an established standard...

I don't see how ego should come into it - you learn your stuff inside and out...- just like at school when you go in to write an exam - go to learn....

there's no reason for a judge to be rude...but to the point and - fair...-- molly-coddling ...or stroking the egos of competitors is not the judges job....a judge who does that is not doing their job..

if the rider goes in without willingness to learn and grow as a rider - then they're wasting their time..and doing their horse a diservice...